Yawning at majesty

When was the last time you were awed by God’s majesty? Or have stood in stunned silence at His holiness and power? Drew Dyck of the Leadership Journal makes a compelling case that what we seek awaits us in the untamed God of Scripture – a God who is dangerous yet accessible, mysterious yet powerfully present.

Think of a zoo. Drew points out that we’re primarily drawn to the large animals in a zoo – the lions, the tigers, the elephants – because of their power, danger, and majesty. “We’re in the presence of something dangerous and powerful and take it very seriously. [But] often we come to church, our worship is lackluster, we’re lackadaisical about our interaction with God. But when you crack open the Bible, you read about … a God who is wild, untamed and dangerous. There is something that draws us and gives us a sense of sobriety” in our faith when we see God as both close and majestic.

As American Christians, we have a tendency to overemphasize the nearness of God and under-emphasize the holiness of God, only to end up Yawning at Tigers. Drew calls us to let go of our idols and our self-centered efforts to tame the Creator and domesticate Christianity. We can’t make God in our image. ”

What does it mean to see God as He is? Drew points to the appearance of God in Isaiah, and the trembling awestruck reaction of His prophet. “If we had an Isaiah 6 vision of God, I don’t think we’d be asking Him for parking spots. I think our prayers would be different.” Drew encourages us to balance our access to God with the holiness of God. Holy means “set apart,” and recognizing God’s “other-ness” is what brings us to worship Him – not for what He can give us, but for Who He is.

Drew points out that the whole discussion boils down to one simple phrase – “God with us.”